Category Archives: Sonot Kkaazoot grooming

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It’s 32.5 deg F at Birch Hill, so much cooler than yesterday. Tom Helmers, the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks head groomer planned to start grooming at midnight so probably is still out there. Bad Bob and Sharon Baker shoveled snow on dirty spots on the Outhouse and Roller Coasters yesterday. Both courses are marked and will be ready for skiers at 11:00 a.m.

Because of unseasonably warm temperatures in Fairbanks (the high yesterday at the airport was 53 deg F and was likely warmer at Birch Hill), some skiers may be questioning their decisions to ski the longer course. Even though we normally restrict changes without additional charge until Thursday night, we will extend that deadline until 6 a.m. Saturday morning for those skiers arriving from out-of-town. Local skiers have the same option. All new registration and changes must be finalized and paid before 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. You may pickup you race bibs until 10:30 a.m. but NO NEW REGISTRATION OR CHANGES AFTER 9:30 a.m. Changes made after 6 a.m. on Saturday will be charged the additional fees assessed on race day.

Email: contact@sonotkkaazoot.org with any changes you want to make before 6 a.m. Saturday. If you’ve already picked up your bib, we won’t be able to change your entry.

At 1:00 p.m. today, the Birch Hill temperature was 51.3 deg F, it was 44 deg F at the airport. The overnight low was 44.1 deg F at Birch Hill so plan accordingly. Trails will be groomed Saturday morning. We have done some snow shoveling onto the trails in some of the low snow spots but some of the trails may have very narrow snow covered sections. Mother Nature holds all the cards. The 9.5 km course is solid and is unlikely to change. The 30 km course may have some surprises on Saturday morning. I’ll try to post any updates I get from our trail groomers.

As of noon on Friday, 137 skiers signed up for the 10 km race; 143 skiers for the 30 km event. The youngest skier registered is 7 years old; the oldest 83 years old.

Don’t forget that the Awards Banquet and Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks annual membership meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the Birch Hill Recreation Area on race day. We have three hearty homemade soups on the menu along with other goodies and potluck salads and desserts supplied by local skiers.

Plan to attend so you can select your one of kind age class woodel from the collection that Mike Schmoker and Bernardo Hernandez have cut from birch sections, burned in their skier design, and applied sealant to create these coveted awards. This year because there are only two courses, all skiers are eligible for woodels.

With Sonot Kkaazoot race director, Bob Baker still homeward bound from Norway, Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks head groomer, Tom Helmers, made an inspection of the Chena River near where the River opened up during the 2016 Sonot Kkaazoot. With today’s temperatures predicted to be in the high 40s at the airport, current conditions don’t bode well for the traditional start and finish area for the 32nd annual Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot.

Overflow in middle of Bob’s trail where river broke in 2016

To right of trail looking upstream

View closer to upstream bank

All photos were taken by Tom Helmers.

With temperatures at Birch Hill today already at 49.6 deg F shortly after noon, our training tip for Sonot Kkaazoot skiers is to ski on the UAF trails (that were groomed this morning) where temperatures are more seasonal. Alternatively, rest up for tackling a more challenging course than normal on Saturday.

The recent snowfalls and warm temperatures have combined to create overflow and possible open water on the Chena River sections used for the Sonot Kkaazoot. Skiers are strongly advised to STAY OFF the Chena River until groomers can assess the course for safety.

Sonot Kkaazoot race director, Bad Bob Baker will be back to assess Chena River ski trail safety on Tuesday, 19 March 2019. He will resume grooming IF his drilling and observations indicate ice conditions are safe for skiing.

All skiers should stay off the Chena River until ice conditions can be determined.

Sonot Kkaazoot Training Tip for Friday, March 8, 2019: Ski the Sonot Connector, a section of the Fort Wainwright Trails that 40 and 50 km skiers traverse twice. If you don’t pace yourself on the uphill, you may find yourself struggling by the time you return 26 km later.

Photo by Bill Husby 3-8-19

Enjoy the spring skiing in Fairbanks during Spring Break for Fairbanks North Star Borough and UAF schools.

All the trails that are utilized for the three Sonot Kkaazoot events were brushed and groomed for the first time last week in preparation for the 32nd annual Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot. Thus, the courses are available for skier training.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU CARRY YOUR GOVERNMENT IDENTIFICATION WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES WHEN YOU SKI TRAILS ON FORT WAINWRIGHT. You could be detained if you do not have appropriate identification with you. Last year, we were informed that a skier was detained and questioned for 20 minutes after being unable to produce appropriate identification. Remember, we are guests on the FWW trails and we need to abide by the rules of a U.S. Army facility.

After my last posting, Bill Husby did additional brushing in the pond area below the Fort Wainwright ski area, so the SCUM checked out the Fort Wainwright trails and the Chena River on Sunday.

Ski conditions on the river Sunday were quite good. Donovan Granger skied the entire 20 km river section of the Sonot Kkaazoot course Sunday (after skiing the White Bear) and found no overflow or open water except for the obvious areas seen on Friday. However, be cautious if you ski on the river and it’s a good idea not to ski alone.

Of course, if you want snow in Fairbanks, you need to send your groomers to Hawaii and Norway, where they can’t help skiers when snow falls overnight. More snow is forecast for later this week, so EXERCISE EXTRA CAUTION IF YOU SKI ON THE RIVER after any new snow. The weight of the snow can cause more overflow.

Don’t worry, Tom and Bob will return before the Sonot Kkaazoot to groom everything to perfection. In the meantime, Bill and Ken will be grooming at Birch Hill using “old school” equipment (snowmachines pulling rollers, drags, or track sled) until Tom returns to pilot the piston bully. The Chena River and FWW trails will be skier groomed for the next couple of weeks.

Bill Husby and Bob Baker also worked on grooming the Fort Wainwright Ditch and Pond that form the trail system that 40 and 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot skiers traverse between the Chena River and Birch Hill Recreation Area.

All photos in this post were taken by Bill Husby, who points out that a lot of whips and brush still need to be removed from the pond and ditch. So take some clippers with you on your ski to the river from Birch Hill. Bill plans to attack the brush with chain saw and loppers soon. Remember to have your government identification with you.

Pond before grooming on 1 March 2019

Pond after trimming whips and brush then grooming.

Newly rolled ditch

Bill is hoping that the rolled trails set up overnight so that he can run a small drag over the ditch. Today the snow pack was quite soft when two SCUM skied on the ditch trail.